Well that was
Sorry, that came out of nowhere.
Give me a second to collect myself.
(deep breath)
Alright, let’s talk about this shitsho-
Jesus, sorry about that.
There’s no real need to overcomplicate things, last night was pathetic.
Of course it does.
In the same way it meant more when the Celts went into their building on Christmas and won.
In fact, we got the opposite.
As I always say, perspective is still important when it comes to this stuff.
On the season, the Celtics are now 16-2 against teams under .500.
Personally, I’d much prefer the Celts 21-10/16-2 splits.
No, the world is not ending.
Yes, the Celtics are still very good.
Those are both true.
But you know what else is also true?
The Celts have been playing like dogshit for about a week now.
Starting with the Clippers ass whooping, things have not been pretty.
Not to me it doesn’t.
It was as if the Basketball Gods saw how the Celtics started this game and decided you know what?
Time to make you learn your lesson.
How else do you explain the 28th best 3pt shooting team making 19 3PM?
This was as clear a message from the Basketball Gods as you could possibly get.
Especially against the Lakers.
Same with Pritchard who was 3-6 (2-5).
Not a single negative +/- on the bench, that’s what makes last night even more embarrassing.
Instead, only the bench showed up from both an energy and effort perspective, and an execution perspective.
Good on them, but not great in terms of overall success.
- I’d love to put more in this section, but what exactly is worthy?
I liked Tatum’s defensive energy in the second half, but it was a little too late.
The worst part is the fact that it came from everyone not named Jayson Tatum.
There was a stretch after a Reaves 3PM where the Celtics turned it over on 3 straight possessions.
You simply cannot win with this shit
This is losing basketball.
This is being careless with the basketball.
The 9 TOs in the first quarter showed us the lack of focus.
The 10 Lakers OREB in the first quarter showed us their lack of energy.
You want to talk playoff achilles heels?
It’s not shooting.
It’s turnovers and offensive rebounds.
Go look at the games the Celtics lost last Spring and you’ll see a common theme.
Careless basketball and opponents feasting on the offensive glass.
So in total, it’s both.
You’re in the 4th quarter, it’s time to cut the shit and execute.
The Celts had fucked around for 3 quarters and were still within striking distance entering the final frame.
Jaylen Brown…
What is that effort?
I’m pretty sure I can run faster than that and I’m a 36 year old blogger.
When I talk about terrible energy and effort, that’s the shit I’m talking about.
That’s one of the leaders on the team and best players.
It’s the 4th quarter, and this is what we’re getting?
I could make the case that it was this moment that truly lost the Celts the game.
When you’re trying to make a comeback, what happens around the margins matters.
A play like that may seem small in the moment, but it has a big impact.
Once you get into the 4th, it’s a possesion game.
You cannot waste possessions like that when you’re also battling the clock.
Every time I watch that clip my blood boils.
- Brutal showing from the guards in this one, no two ways about it.
Jrue and Derrick finished 8-20 (1-7) and were a combined -28 in their minutes.
Holiday, someone who pretty much never turns it over, finished with 4.
With Derrick, it was another one of those games where simply nothing he threw up was dropping.
When the guards show up?
This team is nails.
When they both throw up eggs?
You lose to the sorry Lakers without their two best players.
Some might even call it very bad.
Why did this happen?
Poor defense and careless turnovers.
You do that, it erases everything.
You cannot trade 3s for 2s when the opponent is shooting 53% from deep.
The math won’t work.
The White floater wasn’t dropping.
Meanwhile, on the other end the Lakers are making 3 after 3 after 3.
The Celts have to pick one.
- After the 21-0 home start, the Celts have now lost 3 of 5 in their own building.
Just something to monitor.
A combined -42 in their minutes, each had their own set of issues.
For Jaylen, it was a complete no show on both ends of the floor.
His energy and effort was embarrassing for any player let alone one of the leaders of the team.
Again, I can handle shooting ups and downs.
I can’t handle playing with zero energy and effort.
With Tatum, it at least felt like he was still trying in the second half.
A complete no show.
Unacceptable stuff from anyone, but especially the best players.
For KP, there were parts of his night that I liked.
Add in some careless turnovers as well, and it just wasn’t his night either.
When 2 of the top 3 players on the team have disastrous performances, it makes it even worse.
- We all can see the 26-7 FTA difference.
I would just say to that, no shit.
It’s the Lakers.
Is it a little shady?
Is it a little crazy that the entire starting group took just 4 FTA?
The Lakers and the Celtics are the two best teams at not fouling this season.
Lakers lead the league with 16.5, Celts at 17.2.
Granted it’s going to require they play nowhere close to what we saw last night.
